The best places to live in Los Angeles

Most areas and suburbs in Los Angeles have carved out their own niche and come with their own sense of identity, character, and atmosphere. With an overwhelming array of options, house hunting in LA can be harrowing, but with a little patience, you're sure to find an area that ticks all of your boxes.

Here are some recommended neighbourhoods in Los Angeles.

Family-friendly areas in Los Angeles

A street in Pasadena

Pasadena

Just 10 miles (16 km) from the city centre, Pasadena offers families easy access to highways while still allowing them to maintain the leisurely lifestyle most typically associated with Southern California. Old Town Pasadena presents residents with a pedestrian-friendly centre where an assortment of bars, boutiques, cafés, and restaurants cluster together. Charming neighbourhoods populated with quaint California bungalows sit beside good-quality schools, cultural institutions and top-notch universities.

San Fernando Valley

Often referred to simply as 'the Valley', this large area of LA is a seemingly endless sprawl of affluent suburbs and malls. Boasting both Ventura Boulevard, an expansive strip of shopping, dining, and entertainment options, and Universal Studios Hollywood – arguably the broker of the world's most famous movie magic – families with children will find little beyond their reach in this area of town.

Education and Schools in Los Angeles

Beachside living in Los Angeles

Venice Beach at sunset

Venice Beach

The edgier cousin of Santa Monica and Malibu, Venice Beach's beachside community is considered slightly more bohemian. The iconic boardwalk offers residents a prime people-watching and exercise platform, but it can be dangerous at night. This is a great area for young artsy couples or beach bodies looking for an easygoing neighbourhood with plenty of eclectic entertainment on offer.

Santa Monica

This popular beach community marries all the characteristics of an urban centre with the beauty of a seaside destination. With a cost of living lower than Malibu's and a more restrained character than that of Venice Beach, Santa Monica is a suitable option for middle-income newcomers. The fresh ocean air and the famed Third Street Promenade – a pedestrian-only entertainment, dining, and shopping venue – make this a great pick.

Cost of Living in Los Angeles

Young and hip areas in Los Angeles

Streetside shops in Culver City

Culver City

An up-and-coming neighbourhood with all the energy and buzz of a big city packed into a small town, Culver City is increasingly being called home by a young, diverse crowd of residents. Constantly evolving and developing, there's always something new and exciting going on in Culver City.

Silver Lake

This hilly neighbourhood acts as a point of congregation for throngs of creatives. Countless coffee bars, art galleries, and ethnic restaurants may entice those new arrivals of artistic inclination, while the area's large reservoir proves an attractive asset for those with dogs or those who fancy a bit of greenery.

Luxury living in Los Angeles

Palm-lined street in Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills is one of the wealthiest areas of Los Angeles, and unsurprisingly, one of the quietest and safest. Many of Hollywood's megastars play house behind the perfectly manicured hedges. The area is also renowned for its ritzy shopping options, most notably the famed Rodeo Drive. Those with big dreams of settling down in this area will need a super-sized budget to match.

West Hollywood

The home of Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, is an upscale area that is less expensive than Beverly Hills but still offers luxury. The area is known to be clean and safe, and many young families are beginning to flock to this neighbourhood. West Hollywood is known as a walkable area with fantastic furniture stores, restaurants, and boutique retail outlets.

Neighbourhoods to avoid in Los Angeles

Amidst Los Angeles's allure, certain areas pose safety concerns that residents and visitors should heed. Awareness and caution are your best companions as you navigate through LA's various neighbourhoods. Downtown LA, with its bustling streets and towering skyscrapers, harbours areas of high crime rates, notably the Wholesale District/Skid Row.

South Los Angeles, often referred to by its former name, South Central, carries a reputation shaped by years of gang-related activity, drug trafficking, and gun violence. Although community and law enforcement efforts continue to foster change, the area remains fraught with challenges that necessitate cautious navigation. Compton, a neighbourhood striving to overcome its tumultuous past, has seen improvements in safety and community initiatives, but it continues to grapple with issues of gun violence and drug activity.

Further reading

►Learn more about finding and renting Accommodation in Los Angeles

Images: Pasadena by Jimmy Woo, Venice Beach by Cameron Venti, Culver City by Randy Laybourne, Beverly Hills by Ashlee Attebery. All sourced from Unsplash.

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